“The 2023 Sustainability Report for Luxaviation Group is not just a reflection of our impact and progress but a roadmap for our future. Our commitment goes beyond regulatory compliance, leading by example and inspiring positive change within and beyond the sector,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

The company said that it made significant progress on its commitment to sustainability and innovation in aviation.

“In 2023, we made progressive strides in understanding and thereby reducing our environmental impact. Our expanded use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the electrification of our ground vehicles have set new industry benchmarks for eco-friendly practices. These initiatives are part of our broader goal to transparently lead the industry towards a more responsible future,” said the company in its statement.

In an effort to reduce ground emissions, the FBO operator initiated electrification of its FBO GHE. The move will help minimise environmental impact and enhances operational efficiency. Meanwhile, ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, has already achieved 57% of its 2030 GHE electrification target.

The company also adopted rigorous waste reduction strategies notably aiming to reduce single-use plastic bottles and cans across all ExecuJet FBOs by 60% by 2025, with complete elimination targeted by 2026.

It also shared plans to reinforce its sustainability strategy through multi-stakeholder engagement programme and collaborations with industry stakeholders, including aircraft manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and environmental organisations. Towards this, Luxaviation has partnered with business sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis to improve transparency and drive positive impact across supply chains.

Moreover, Luxaviation has also partnered with sustainability solutions provider Azzera and vertiport developer EVTOL Networks to explore green solutions for aviation. 

Read the full report here.

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The transaction follows on from Luxaviation’s acquisition of Sky Valet earlier this year which added 17 FBOs.

“Our continued expansion in the global FBO market offers a compelling alternative to the major networks, ensuring premium service and comprehensive offerings for operators worldwide. Paragon Aviation Group, with their outstanding FBO services and esteemed industry reputation, enables us to strengthen our commitment to excellence and advance our strategic vision for growth,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

Hansen created Luxaviation in 2008. He acquired a number of European operators including Germany’s Fairjets, Belgium’s Abelag, Unijet a French operator, London Executive Aviation in the UK, Portugal’s Masterjet, international operator ExecuJet and Starspeed a UK helicopter operator. In 2019 it sold most of the maintenance operations it acquired when it bought ExecuJet to Dassault Aviation.

Paragon Aviation was founded in 2011 and agreed a strategic partnership with Luxaviation in 2011.  

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“This acquisition represents a pivotal moment for Luxaviation Group and our continued expansion in the global FBO market … Together with SkyValet, we continue expanding the reach of the ExecuJet Network and our ambition of sustainability, setting new benchmarks in the industry,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

Earlier, Luxaviation completed 100% takeover of the Paragon Network.

The group’s president of the FBO division Michel Tohane will overlook integration of Sky Valet into Luxaviation Group with a special focus on the experienced staff of 90 new colleagues. Tohane previously led operations at Sky Valet as its executive vice president before joining Luxaviation in 2021.

Tohane said that beyond the goal to become global leaders in the FBO industry, Luxaviaion is also committed to push the green agenda of the group. Luxaviation recently announced plans to provide sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to its clients at its Paris Le Bourget FBO.

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The FBO will supply a maximum blend of up to 35% SAF with Jet A1 fuel, certified to meet the highest standards. The SAF provided is derived from used cooking oil, a renewable feedstock which is refined through the Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) process.

“As the industry aligns with global environmental goals and the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change, sustainability stands as a cornerstone of Luxaviation Group, paving the way for a more sustainable future in aviation. We strive to set new standards and inspire others to join us in embracing innovation to enhance corporate social responsibility,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

The announcement follows the FBO’s recent transition to fully electric ground handling equipment (GHE) in an effort towards sustainable aviation.

The FBO is managed under the ExecuJet brand.

In terms of carbon savings, the FBO operator said that flying from ExecuJet Paris Le Bourget FBO to ExecuJet Johannesburg FBO on a Global 7500 utilising a 35% blend of SAF/Jet A1fuel, customers can reduce their CO2 emissions by approximately 20 tons.

Luxaviation Group already offers its customers the ability to use SAF on flights to cut their flight’s carbon emissions via the Luxaviation App.

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The fund will make investments in new technologies, including Renewable Energy Sustainable Aviation Fuels (e-SAF) to help business achieve net zero carbon emissions goals.

“Throughout the group we are investing every effort to understand and reduce our carbon footprint. At the same time, we support developments in new technologies, driving the reduction of carbon emissions. We are fully conscious of the fact that transporting people in general and flying clients to destinations worldwide in particular requests thorough actions today,” said Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation Group.

The company said that it is extending invitations to other key players in the private aviation sector to join their effort and help the business aviation sector decarbonise.

“The outcomes of COP28 served as a catalyst for our decisive action”, said Hansen. “We are confident that our clients and partners will embrace this move and actively participate in the alliance, helping us achieve Net-Zero Carbon Emissions faster than anticipated”.

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The two companies will exchange expertise in aviation, travel and hospitality services, paving the way for potential further collaborations in future. Luxaviation will support TMG, HAA and other subsidiaries with operational capability, networks and relationships with aviation authorities.

TMG and its subsidiaries will support Luxaviation with IT, digital marketing and flight operations. The deal sets out Luxaviation’s intention to help HAA in selling aircraft block hours through its distribution channels and to support TMG in building relationships with key financial institutions and decision-makers. Luxaviation will also consider using TMG and subsidiaries’ services, given their experience in travel, hospitality, online booking and aviation.

Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation said the agreement underlines the firm’s strategy to work together with local partners to accelerate geographic expansion. “We are impressed by TMG’s extensive experience in the travel and hospitality sector and we are certain that we can continue to grow together in this market,” said Hansen. “TMG’s expertise will be an incredible asset for Luxaviation Group as we intend to develop our global footprint.”

Tran Trong Kien, CEO, Thien Minh Group said the partnership will combine the expertise of the two companies to grow Hai Au Aviation’s offering. “The Thien Minh Group has been working in the travel and hospitality sector for almost three decades and are delighted at the prospect of working with a fellow established group such as Luxaviation,” he said.

Above: Patrick Hansen said: “TMG’s expertise will be an incredible asset for Luxaviation Group ….”.

Top: Tran Trong Kien, Thien Minh Group said the partnership will help to grow Hai Au Aviation’s offering.

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The role will involve the management of further business development across aircraft management and charter, according to the company.

Benz (pictured), who has been a member of Luxaviation’s board since July, has more than 25 years’ worth of experience as an aeronautical engineer in the aviation industry. Most recently, Benz served as senior vice president of Operations for Jet Aviation, having worked at the company for 11 years.

In his new role, Benz will focus on the sustainability and profitability of Luxaviation, ensuring the company remains customer-focused, efficient and safe.

Benz said he shares Luxaviation’s values of “excellence, reliability, transparency and authenticity”. He added that he will lead the group to “the next stage of growth in a very customer-focused way”.

Patrick Hansen, CEO, Luxaviation said: “With 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, Stefan is the ideal candidate to guide and lead our Aviation Services team as a proven leader in the aviation industry.”

He added: “His experience, knowledge and strong global network of OEMs, suppliers, authorities, institutions and business aviation stakeholders around the world, combined with our industry expertise, will be real assets as we continue our growth journey.”

Last month, Luxaviation added six aircraft to its fleet to expand its global footprint. George Galanopoulos, MD and CEO of the company’s UK division, told Corporate Jet Investor that it is an “extraordinary time” to be in the charter sector, with demand “by far” outweighing supply.

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France’s minister delegate for Transport Clément Beaune said he wants to ban or restrict the use of private jets in France and will aim to raise the topic at the European Transport ministers’ meeting in October, as reported in the French daily Le Parisien. He added that he wants to ensure that the EU acts as one to ensure all “have the same rules and impact is maximised”. If an outright ban isn’t an option, Beaune wants to introduce stricter regulation and restrictions on private jets to reduce carbon emissions.

“It is very unfortunate that the minister goes for the easiest route by blaming CEOs that are keeping France and the EU afloat,” Robert Baltus, chief operations officer, European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) told CJI. He said that business aviation is “the segment of the aviation industry that allows economies to shine and remote regions to be connected, without mentioning all the medical and emergency operations that are performed thanks to business aircraft”.

In recent weeks, several Twitter accounts that claim to track the private jet flights of French billionaires have amassed a following. Baltus said: “It is with astonishment that we realised that the political agenda of the French republic is now defined based on a Twitter account keeping track of Bernard Arnault’s private jet flights, a French individual using business aircraft in the conduct of his business, CEO of a company that injected €64bn into the European economy.” Instead, he thinks Beaune should “focus his attention on introducing the Single European Sky initiative” that will reduce overall aviation emissions in Europe by 10%.

“Thousands and thousands of people are employed in this industry in France, directly and indirectly,” Patrick Hansen, CEO of charter company Luxaviation Group told CJI. “I am sure that all their research and development is providing increasingly fuel-efficient jets. And I believe it would be a pity for all those people and their families if France would show the world that this industry should be banned.”

Hansen added that Beaune is highlighting an important issue and said that rather than banning private jets he and the industry’s leaders should use this to “push for new technologies to be rolled out first in this sector, as the clientele and users of these jets are able and willing to pay more to fly sustainably”.

Vitaly Arkhangelskiy, director, Jet.Paris told CJI: “I am very much surprised that I came to know news like this from journalists and not via initial discussions with the professional community,”. He said he would want to highlight the benefits of the industry to Beaune, to “prove to the minister that behind populist wording there is a deep history which relates to [numerous] jobs, taxes and development of infrastructure [such as] regional airports, which are also used for medical and other special purposes, including education of pilots which is crucial nowadays”.

Even if restrictions or bans are introduced, it will take “a very long time” before anything can be implemented due to French bureaucracy, he added.

Meanwhile, last week, French Green National Secretary Julien Bayou, national secretary of French green organisaton Europe Écologie Les Verts said he wanted to “ban all private jets” as he believed it would have “an impact on a very small number of people, with immense ecological benefits”, as reported in the French daily newspaper Libération. He announced he will be tabling a cross-party bill on the matter in the coming weeks.

In March this year, the Canadian Government announced it was revising its luxury tax legislation that had previously proposed all private aircraft purchased in the country would be taxed as luxury personal aircraft.

To read the interview in Le Parisien, click here.

Read the full letter from EBAA’s Baltus below:

“The EBAA and its members have taken note of minister Beaune’s initiative to regulate private jet flights. It is with astonishment that we realised that the political agenda of the French republic is now defined based on a Twitter account keeping track of Bernard Arnault’s private jet flights, a French individual using business aircraft in the conduct of his business, CEO of a company that injected €64bn into the European economy. It is very unfortunate that the minister goes for the easiest route by blaming CEOs that are keeping France and the EU afloat and the segment of the aviation industry that allows economies to shine and remote regions to be connected, without mentioning all the medical end emergency operations that are performed thanks to business aircraft.

Minister Beaune has to realise his political campaign is over, he got the job! Now it is time to find solutions to the real challenges the French and Europeans are facing, and we have a few ideas that require political courage to be implemented. Should he wish to go this way we are keen on supporting him and his ideas! Bullying the smallest segment of the aviation sector representing 0.04% of the global CO2 emissions because it’s an easy target and the crowd demands a sacrifice won’t solve anything, on the contrary, it will further deteriorate European economies and the lives of the citizens we serve and employ.

Moreover, the business aviation sector is a signatory of the Toulouse Declaration that was designed by the French government a few months ago with the support of all the aviation stakeholders, all EU member state, and several third countries such as the US or Canada. Minister Beaune’s statement undermines all the work that was achieved during the French Presidency by the French themselves all in the name of ‘green populism’.

If the minister was serious about improving aviation’s footprint, he would focus his attention on introducing the Single European Sky initiative that will reduce ALL aviation emissions in Europe by 10%. However, France has been the member state primarily stalling the introduction of this initiative for nearly 20 years as the French ministers are afraid of the French unions. Let’s just reflect on that… Up to 10% of CO2 generated by all flights in Europe over the last 20 years has been wasted fuel as this minister and his predecessors have not been willing and able to make easy necessary changes that are available by the introduction of SES!

Governments and industry should be aligned on reducing CO2. The EBAA and its partners are committed since the global Business Aviation Commitment on Climate change in 2009. Business aviation is a pioneer in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and the sector is a leader in innovations such as AAM [Advanced Air Mobility] and electric aircraft as the way forward to ensure that aviation at large can keep on improving towards decarbonisation. And just like the airlines, we’ll be carbon neutral in 2050 so there’s no need at all to discriminate against an entire sector, a minority that brings so much to the majority (€87bn of economic output in Europe only and around 400,000 highly skilled jobs).

France has a great aviation and technology heritage with great business aviation manufacturers like Dassault, Daher, Airbus and Airbus helicopters. These companies are developing the sustainable aviation of tomorrow through all types of technological improvements such as SAF, electric aircraft, etc. It is sad that its own Transport minister is now trying to close their industry down and indirectly encouraging them to move to third countries that do support new technologies like China, the US, etc.

Business aircraft should be used when they are needed, in the interest of the 450m  EU citizens who expect more from their policymakers, they expect real answers to the current crisis we are going through, not empty media announcements.”

Robert Baltus,

Chief operations officer,

European Business Aviation Association

Read more on Baltus’ letter here.

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*Luxaviation has added a Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 jet to its fleet.

*The aircraft will be based at Luxaviation France at Le Bourget, Paris Airport.

*In addition to the M2 Gen2 aircraft, Luxaviation manages and charters more than 50 Textron Aviation products.

At this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), Luxaviation, one of the largest private aircraft operators in the world headquartered in Luxembourg, announced the addition of the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 aircraft, the first of the most recent model in Europe, to better serve its clients.

The Citation M2 Gen2, which will be based at Luxaviation France in Paris / Le Bourget, features technology and design enhancements that deliver state-of-the art customer experience. The Citation M2 Gen2 combines performance, comfort, design, ease of operation, range of mission capabilities, lower fuel consumption and restricted noise footprint.

Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group, said: “In its longstanding commitment to excellence, Luxaviation commits to always emphasize on guests’ experience aboard our aircraft and the highest quality of service. With this Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 to our charter fleet, Luxaviation continues its mission to provide an unmatched charter experience with fast and comfortable transport and covering any need.”

The M2 Gen2 brings an enhanced cabin with premium interior styling, ambient accent lighting, satellite communication and wireless charging. The Citation M2 Gen2 features comfortable seating for up to five passengers.

Karol Gueremy, CEO of Luxaviation France, based in Paris said, “The addition of this new Cessna Citation M2 Gen2, will provide access to a new client base out of our Paris base where we offer FBO, aircraft charter and management. The Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 will be able to cover a large part of Western Europe and with its ability to land in restricted destinations, like London City or Cannes.”

Robert Fisch, Luxaviation Chief Aviation Officer, said: “Our relationship with Textron Aviation is now several decades old as we share the same passion for enhancing customer experience. We are looking forward to welcoming the Gen2 evolution of not only the Citation M2, but also the Citation CJ4 Gen2 in early summer.” In addition to the M2 Gen2 aircraft, Luxaviation manages and charters more than 50 Textron Aviation products. The next generation of Citation jets will continue to land at Luxaviation as the company also selected a CJ4 Gen2 to add to its fleet in Europe.

Pictured (l to r): Romain Alati, Chief Commercial Officer, Luxaviation France – Karol Gueremy, Chief Executive Officer, Luxaviation France – Lannie O’Bannion, Senior Vice President for Global Sales and Flight Operations, Textron Aviation – Juliane Thiessen, Chief Marketing Officer, Luxaviation Group. (source : Luxaviation).

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To do this, the two will combine Luxaviation’s experience, gained after securing the first European Union Aviation Safety Agency AOC approval for a business jet operator, with Lilium’s progress in the development of a seven-seater eVTOL jet.

Lilium plans to continue developing the jet and its digital airline platform for commercial launch in 2024.

“This marks a key milestone as we prepare for launch, and we look forward to working together to provide an exceptional airline service for our passengers,” explains Remo Gerber, chief operating officer at Lilium.

Patrick Hansen, Group CEO at Luxaviation Group said: “Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft will fundamentally change the way we travel and the Lilium network is poised to be at the forefront of this sea change in aviation”.

Lilium has previously announced plans for launch networks in Germany through partnerships with Munich, Nuremberg, Dusseldorf, and Cologne/Bonn airports.

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